We've talked a lot about how bombarded we are each day with advertising. Some say advertising is a "necessary evil."
Is advertising at odds with the ideals of democracy? Why or why not? (Remember, use examples, quotes from text, statistics, etc. to help support your opinions.)
I don't regard the advertising industry as being "necessary evil"...I think people often criticize too quickly in a negative way because everyone knows ads are meant to lure you into a product or service one way or another. However, this doesn't mean that it is evil in the sense that the people behind it are good at being pursuasive. Sure we are bombarded by evil on a daily basis, but no one cares to say anything about bombarding our lives with all the technology. In this sense, if we didn't pay attention to the advertisments...how could we possibly know anything about new items that come out or any of the technological gadgets we stand in long lines over night to get when they're first released. For example, on this past Tuesday the new Call of Duty: Black Ops game was released. The advertisement for this game was intense and everywhere. Yet despite people saying this to be a "necessary evil" many where standing in line Monday night because the stores would begin sellig them at midnight that night. I happened to be driving back to campus around that time and I seen a line of people standing outside of Bayshore's Game Stop bunched in a line out in the cold. The people that created the ads or the ad itself did not tell consumers to go stand out in the cold to purchase it. Just like democracy works where people are free to choose who governs the country from a selection of candidates, they could have also chosen to pre-order the game with a credit card or not to buy it at all. I support the advertising industry as it has always been my first career path. People are so quick to blame the media...the real evil comes from the one's inner self telling them to buy a specific product/service. Our textbook points out two types of consumers by saying that, "we should remain critical of what advertising has come to represent: the overemphasis on commercial acquisitions and images of material success, and the disparity between those who can afford to live comfortably in a commercialized society and those who cannot." (pg. 375) In order to remain critical, consumers need to assume exactly what the quote says. Obviously for the ones that believe advertising is a form of evil, they cannot or are not living in our commercialized society comfortably.
ReplyDeleteIn a word, no. To me the ideals of democracy are choices and freedom. We have choices with advertising. There are no monopolies in this country so every has an equal opportunity to talk about their product. We as a consumer need to be informed just as we do in democracy. However, I would agree that it is a necessary evil. Advertisers can be heartless people that try to get their product out no matter what the cost. If you want to get your product out there you have to do this. I don't always agree with the ways people advertise their product or even their opinion but that's what their freedom is.
ReplyDeleteTo me advertising is necessary but I would not consider it as harshly as "evil". I personally feel that the fact that everyone has an equal opportunity to advertise and pay for advertising rights makes it an example of democracy rather than a threat to it. The fact that there are 6 major companies behind the majority of the media bothers me but I do not feel that advertising has a lack of diversity. As a free American I can chose to some degree how much I am affected by advertisers. Personally I enjoy critiquing various commercials and their effectiveness. In regards to advertising potentially threatening democracy I am worried for the future. If people lose the ability as consumers to monitor what they are being shown and truly know the source of certain advertisements then democracy is in jeopardy. But I have faith in the American population to stick up for themselves and know when they are being taken advantage of. So with that, I look forward to this years super bowl commercials and will surely be surprised once again how much money company's will spend on the available time slots in between hikes and time outs.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading Alicia's post I found myself agreeing with her on many comments. Especially the idea that we should be more critical of our purchasing habits and impulses. To some extent advertising company's are to blame for getting us to want certain products and facilitate us as consumers to buy into their ideas. But in the end it comes down to individuals choices. No matter how catchy or creative or even invasive a commercial can be it is my choice to purchase something. I personally know the differences between things I need and want. Advertising is everywhere but I feel completely in control of what I buy and am generally not influenced by advertisements as much as I am influenced by the price.
ReplyDeleteI don't think of advertising to be evil. I don't see it to be evil in any way actually. I feel advertising is creative and necessarily good. I say this because as John Greening stated that the most important thing on the planet used to be time but is now attention--well advertisers, in my opinion, realized this and were clever enough to draw peoples attentions from billboards, commercials, ads, etc. It displays democracy on how they are free to engage consumers by using advertising. Advertising is unlimited and the only concern I can see where it could be considered evil, is if advertising is taken to far. But with society today what is considered to be to far?
ReplyDeleteToday's society is on the fast track so it's harder to get consumers attention now-a-days because everyone is always in a hurry. For example, commercials used to be 1 minute long, to 30 seconds and now to 15 because we don't have the attention span to watch something for a "long" period of time. I feel advertising is not evil because majority of people today are drawn into liking things due to advertising and what is considered to be "cool".
After reading Scott's response and how he thinks advertising can be evil. I just don't see it! I feel it is their right to want to advertise whatever it is they want. Some advertisers have more money than others, therefore they can go to more extremes to get what they want out there but I don't see how it can be evil. I feel going to extremes getting their product or whatever they are trying to advertise is what makes them good at what they do.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading Scott's and Joe's postings, I agree with the points they have made about people having the freedom to choose and decide what advertisments they let influence thier buying habits. I like that Scott pointed out the idea that there is no monopolies in this country; and I like the idea that Joe mentioned that he knows the difference between a want or need for something. I like the fact that we are able to see that advertising is not a source of evil. It made for a good conversation in this blog.
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